Can you name the difference between a drifter and a pilgrim? When the Prodigal Son left his father’s house, he was a drifter. When he decided to return, he was a pilgrim. A drifter has no sense of purpose and no goal. A drifter is often seen as someone who is avoiding and escaping the …
The accompanist’s guide: Walking with others on the journey of faith
Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by all there is to do in initiation ministry. At times, I’ve been the only person on the catechumenate “team.” Even parishes blessed with larger teams can feel like there is always more to do than people to help. How in the world are we going to manage it all? …
The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle may be the father of the New Year’s resolution. Legend has it that he made a resolution to become more virtuous and then kept a daily journal to track his progress. The legend doesn’t say if he reached his goal, but we do know that it is difficult for most …
As we approach the fall those who are students or parents of students understand the “back to school” nature of our lives. For better or for ill, such is the rhythm for many of our parishes and ministries. For many years, and even to today, I read any number of bulletin announcements that tell us …
Is your catechumenate open all year-round? What does year-round mean?
Is it time to reconsider following cohort model in our formation processes? The Oxford dictionary defines a “cohort” as “a group of people with a shared characteristic.” It’s a model that has been used in education since the beginning—grouping children into a grade level based on age with the understanding that a similar age corelates …
Is your RCIA open all year-round? Having everyone around the same table
In a recent interview, Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, said that Pope Francis has opened the church to a strong emphasis on four theological priorities: mission encounter the peripheries mercy Accomplishing a shift to these priorities, he said, “will require changes on how we do and are church.” Cardinal Tobin did not mention the …
What would happen if every parish had an ongoing (year-round) RCIA process?
More of our parishes would implement an ongoing (year-round) RCIA process if they could imagine how to do so without adding to the stress of the RCIA team and needing to recruit more team members. The good news is that your parish already has an ongoing process. And some of the burdens the RCIA team …
One thing we learned during the pandemic is that the movement of the Holy Spirit in people’s hearts cannot be limited to a predetermined calendar. We have always known this, of course. But the pandemic forced us to be more flexible in our formation processes and find new, more responsive ways to accompany seekers on …
One thing I’ve learned in this ministry is that everyone comes to it with certain expectations. This is one of the biggest challenges when working with your initiation team in moving to a year-round process. But your team and your parish leadership are not the only ones with certain expectations. Your seekers also come to …
Is your RCIA open all year-round? Managing RCIA seekers’ expectations
Mollie Muntefering is the coordinator of liturgy and music at St. Mary Catholic Church in Waverly, Iowa. Does your parish have a year-round RCIA process? Do you have a story you’d like to share? If so, please send about 1,000 words to Nick Wagner, nick@teamrcia.com. On the first Sunday of Advent this year, St. Mary …
